Chapter 326: Shadow trials[9]

Emily watched them leave, letting out a low whistle.

"Yikes. The Great Houses are really starting to squeeze their kids today. Did you see the look on his face?"

?" The Festival isn’t just an academy test anymore."

?"It never was," a quiet voice said from behind them.

?Xander stepped out from the shadow of the terrace pillar, holding a small electronic tablet.

His dark hair was neatly combed, his grey academy uniform spotless. He gave Emily a polite nod before pulling out a chair and sitting beside Samantha.

House Ash, House Dark, House Varas, and House Mordrew all have official observers on site now."

?Samantha’s eyes narrowed slightly. "House Thane?"

Xander paused, his fingers hovering over the tablet. "Damien McAllister arrived an hour ago.

Scott is here?" Emily asked, her voice dropping an octave.

?"I saw him near the main fountain," Warren said gently.

"He was looking at the contestant roster on his phone. He didn’t stay long. He looked... distracted."

?Samantha turned her head, looking out over the sprawling courtyards below. Across the manicured lawns, students were gathering near the grand entrance

Standing near the edge of the fountain plaza, slightly apart from the rest of the Student Council, was Scott McAllister.

He wore his formal council blazer, but his hands were buried deep in his pockets, his gaze fixed on the space where the top-ranked students usually assembled.

Beside Scott, standing with hands tucked into his tailored black coat, was Luke, the Thane family’s head butler.

Luke stood with quiet, unyielding dignity, his eyes hidden behind a pair of dark sunglasses.

********

Twenty-four qualified contestants gathered inside the grand subterranean briefing hall directly beneath Sector Seven.

Suspended above the polished concrete floor was a giant, three-dimensional holographic map of the artificial district above—a full-scale replica of a modern metropolis.

It contained everything: storied commercial blocks, narrow residential alleys, elevated mag-rail tracks, automated cafes, security plazas, underground utility tunnels, and floating advertisement screens.

Crowds of life-sized, synthetic civilians—hyper-realistic androids programmed with complex behavioral patterns—were already moving through the streets above, populating the district to mimic a living, breathing city.

?Standing at the central podium was Headmaster Whizen, flanked by six senior tactical instructors.

?"Settle down," Whizen’s voice boomed through the hall’s sound system.

?The chatter among the contestants died down instantly.

Lucian stood near the front row, his dark eyes fixed on the holographic city map. His posture was rigid, his hands resting lightly on the twin dagger sheaths at his waist.

A few feet to his right, Xander Gray was leaning casually against a pillar, twirling a thin metallic stylus between his fingers with practiced ease.

?Cassius Wulfric stood near the back, his broad chest rising and falling slowly as he crossed his massive arms.

Edmund Brewer was standing near the left wall, his gaze fixed on the floor, surrounded by a faint, barely perceptible ring of cold air that kept the nearby contestants at a distance.

?"Trial Three will be The Veiled Hunt," the Headmaster announced, pressing a control button on his console.

?The holographic map zoomed in, highlighting various sectors of the artificial city in flickering green, amber, and red overlays.

?"This trial is fundamentally different from the previous two," Whizen continued, his eyes sweeping over the young men and women before him.

"Trial One tested your physical adaptability and reaction time. Trial Two tested your tactical infiltration and extraction under direct combat pressure.

" Trial Three tests what lies beneath both: your ability to gather intelligence, distinguish truth from deliberate misinformation, and exercise sound judgment under extreme uncertainty."

?A low murmur rippled through the ranks of contestants.

Each of you will be issued an encrypted handheld terminal upon entering the district," Whizen explained.

"Every terminal contains a unique, individual information packet. No two packets are identical. Your objective is to locate, identify, and secure designated targets hidden throughout Sector Seven within a two-hour window."

?The holographic display shifted, showing examples of intelligence fragments.

?"Your packet may contain a photograph, a set of coordinates, or a time-sensitive movement schedule," Gregory said, his tone darkening slightly.

"Be advised: not all information provided to you is accurate. Some packets contain complete intelligence. Some contain partial fragments. Some contain deliberate fabrications created by the trial system."

?Xander let out a quiet, appreciative hum.

"Ah. A game of lies. Beautiful."

"Points are awarded based on verified target secures," Whizen proceeded, ignoring Xander’s comment.

"A genuine High-Value Target is worth one hundred points. Standard Targets are worth forty points. Secondary Intelligence Nodes are worth twenty points."

?He paused, letting the numbers register before delivering the warning.

?"However, false actions carry heavy penalties. Securing an incorrect target—a decoy, an innocent synthetic citizen, or an unverified lead—will result in a fifty-point deduction."

"Unnecessary destruction of district infrastructure or reckless collateral engagements will result in immediate point deductions proportional to the damage. Brute force without verification will ruin your score."

Cassius grimaced slightly, shifting his heavy weight. "Great. A detective test."

?"You are permitted to interact with other contestants," Whizen added, his eyes lingering on Lucian and Samantha.

"Information may be exchanged, stolen, intercepted, or manipulated. Physical engagement between contestants is permitted, but point transfers through direct combat will only occur if a contestant successfully steals a verified target packet or intelligence token."

?Whizen raised his hand, pointing toward the heavy blast doors at the far end of the hall.

?"The central question of Trial Three is simple," the Headmaster concluded, his voice echoing off the stone walls.

"Can you think when you don’t know what is true? Step into your assigned entry conduits. The Hunt begins in three minutes."

?Samantha picked up her spear, securing the leather harness across her chest. She glanced toward Warren, who gave her a short, resolute nod.

Beside her, Edmund Brewer adjusted his collar, stepping into Conduit Four. As he did, he caught sight of a figure sitting in the elevated VIP balcony overlooking the briefing hall.

?Sitting in the front row of the observer box was Julian Vance.

?Julian was dressed in a dark, high-collared tailored coat.

His pale hands were folded neatly over his knee, his sharp, pale eyes fixed entirely on Edmund.

There was no hostility in Julian’s expression—only a quiet, disturbing curiosity that made the hair on the back of Edmund’s neck stand up.

?Julian was watching him.

Edmund turned his head away, his fingers tightening into fists until his knuckles turned white.

Frost rippled across the soles of his boots as the conduit door slid shut behind him.

?[TRIAL THREE: THE VEILED HUNT — COMMENCING IN 3... 2... 1...]

[BEGIN...]

?The locks disengaged. The blast doors hissed open, and twenty-four contestants vanished into the artificial streets of Sector Seven.